Download the Ultimate Travel Tourism Glossary for 2018

The Ultimate Travel Tourism Glossary for 2018

Harness the latest 'Language of Travel' for all modern Tours and Activity Operators.

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A

ACCOMMODATION

Refers to a hotel, Airbnb, Hostel or any other places that provide rooms for rent.

ACTIVITY PROVIDER

A person located in a tourist destination who provides a unique, local activity for a visitor to do while on vacation. Examples of such activities include kayaking, bike riding or arts and crafts, among others.

ADD-ON

An extra, optional service that travelers can purchase during the bookings process.

ADVENTURE INDUSTRY

Adventure industry refers to tour operators specialized in outdoor activities like trekking, white water rafting, mountain biking and more. A major trade organization for this industry is the Adventure Travel Trade Association.

AGENT

A business that is mainly focused on reselling tours and activities in exchange for commission fees.

AFFILIATE

A business partner within a tourist destination. For instance, a hotel might have an affiliate restaurant. The restaurant is owned and operated by the same company but is managed by different people.

ALIPAY

AliPay is the leading payment gateway around the world, specifically in China. Tour and activity operators should consider the size of their current company and expected growth before deciding to use this payment gateway for booking amongst Chinese travelers.

ANDROID

An android is a type of open-source operating system used for smartphones and table computers. For example, the Rezdy Android app gives you access to the information you need to run your tours and activities smoother.

APP

An app is a small software program that can be downloaded to a smart phone or tablet. It allows users to interact with businesses, play games and perform tasks on their mobile device. Apps are typically available either for free or for purchase on the Apple App store or the Android App Market.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Artificial intelligence is defined as technology that can complete thought processes for itself, without human interaction, manipulation or control. Artificial Intelligence technology can perform a variety of tasks, ranging from communicating with a device user, translating a language or making a decision.

AUGMENTED REALITY

Augmented reality is a type of virtual reality that allows users to not only experience the virtual world but also make decisions that alter that experience. In augmented reality experience, the user can make a decision and then experience a version of that world that results from their choice.

AUTOMATED EMAILS

E-mails that are generated automatically particularly in instances to confirm bookings, reminders, follow ups, and payments to keep your customers engaged. With Rezdy, you can automatically generate these emails to give your customers peace of mind or alternatively, you can trigger emails that you have set up in third party services like MailChimp.

AUTOMATED PAYMENTS

Invoicing payments can be automated by Rezdy’s marketplace. Automated payment is a service where commission fee payments between tour operators and agents are automatically managed.

AUTOMATION

The creation and application of technology to monitor and control the production and delivery of products and services. For example with Rezdy, tour and activity operators can automate processes such as emails and payments which can save time and a surprising amount of money.

B

BABY BOOMERS

Baby Boomers are defined as active older adults born in the postwar years between 1946 and 1964. They are a significant group to appeal to worldwide, as they comprise about 25% of the world’s population and, being predominantly retired after long careers, they have plenty of disposable money.

BARGAIN SITE

This is a website where you can get discounts on travel events, such as tickets for shows and tour opportunities.

BED & BREAKFAST

Bed & Breakfast accommodations are small, typically local establishments. They are often run by an innkeeper and offer a home-away-from home feel for visitors. Expect cozy accommodations and home-cooked meals.

BITCOIN

A cyber-currency that operates on a peer-to-peer basis and does not require a central bank to be involved in the transaction.

BLACKOUT DATES

A day that you are not operating your tours. A modern booking software should allow you to quickly and visually update your calendar if necessary, so your visitors cannot book online for the day.

BLEISURE TRAVELER

A bleisure traveler are defined as those who book a trip for work purposes but stay a few extra days in the destination in order to explore on their own.

BLOGGER

A blogger is person who writes a blog. A blog is a website where people regularly publish information, either personal or professional.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

This is a directory that lists comprising the different businesses that are available in a particular area. Most directories include references to all different types of businesses, from tourism-related businesses to service providers such as laundromats, mechanics and restaurants.

BOOKING

A booking refers to a successful sale in the tourism industry. The accompanying payment can either be fully, partly or completed at fulfillment of the booking.

BOOKING FEE

A booking fee is a separate, additional fee that is incurred on top of an online purchase. Generally, this fee exists to covers card processing fees, admin fees, customer services fees and more. At Rezdy, we only charge a flat monthly fee, no hidden fees for your customers.

C

CANCELLATION POLICY

Setting terms and conditions that can encourage your customers to make a commitment when they book tours or activities. For example, you may want to allow customers to cancel up to 24 hours in advance, and offer them a partial refund if they cancel within 24 hours of the scheduled tour. You may want to take a stricter approach and refuse to refund your customers who cancel within 24 hours, or who do not give notice and do not show up.

CATEGORY (synonymous to INDUSTRY)

Refer to the industry or type of activity a tour operator does, for example scuba diving, hot air balloon or city tours.

CHANNEL MANAGER

This is software that allows a company to give access to their inventories of hotel room or tours availability to distributors.

CHARTER

Chartering a tour, a bus, a boat or other means that an individual or group will make one booking for exclusive use of that vehicle, vessel or service. Many tour operators offer daily tours that can be chartered for a fixed price and include a maximum of persons.

CHATBOT

A chatbot is a computer program that can be synced with your website to provide your site visitors with real-time information in a way that mimics a human conversation. The program launches a customer service chat box when a visitor arrives on your site, providing them with an opportunity to ask questions or offer feedback.

CLOUD COMPUTING

Cloud computing is a way of managing a computer’s data. Previously most data were stored on a local server, but using cloud computing all different types of data can be managed on a remote server that can be accessed by a desktop, laptop or mobile device.

COMMISSION

A commission is a percentage of your incomes that an agent will charge tour operators to send customers. A common practice in the tour and activity industry is to pay from 10% and up to 30% commission to resellers. You should not pay commission to software providers (booking system) as it will reduce your profitability and limit your growth. Paying commission to agents is a highly effective way to reach customers that you would not be able to reach with limited marketing resources.

CONCIERGE (HOTEL)

A hotel employee whose job is to assist guests by booking tours, making theatre and restaurant reservations, etc.

CONVENIENCE FEE

A charge levied for the privilege of paying for a product or service using an alternative payment, or a payment method that is not standard for the merchant.

CONVERSION RATE

A conversion rate is the number of site visitors who arrive at your site and book one of your tour products.

COUNCIL

A governing body within a community. Most places that are popular travel destinations have councils to help manage the tourism industry in that area.

CRYPTO-CURRENCY

A crypto-currency is a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange that uses cryptography to secure its transactions, to control the creation of additional units, and to verify the transfer of assets.

CURRENCY

The form of money that a person uses in order to pay. People from different countries typically have different currencies.

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM)

Customer relationship management is an approach to manage a company’s interaction with current and potential customers.CUSTOMER SUPPORT

A network that allows a customer to get the help they need, when they need it and in the medium that they require. Most popular customer support options include phone and online support.

D

A new way of doing business which promotes one particular sale or deal on a given day. This deal is often distributed via e-mail or text messaging, and usually made available for 12-24 hours.

DATABASE

A database is a collection of organized data. These can include a collection of tables, queries, reports, views and other elements.

DEFERRED PAYMENT PROCESSING

If you do not want to use a merchant account, you can use a deferred payment processing system in conjunction with your Point-of-Sales (POS) system. In this case, the customer inputs data which you will receive manually. Their data does not pass through a gateway, so you can inspect all orders and connect them. This method of credit card processing works best for weather-dependent businesses where they are more prevalent to cancellations due to unpredictable weather.

DESTINATION

The place to which someone is going. An area, region or a place visited by tourists. Destinations are usually organized with professional private and government organizations like Visitors Information Centre, Destination Management Organization (public) or Destination Management Company (private) whose goal is to promote the destination.

DESTINATION MANAGEMENT COMPANY (DMC)

Business that specialized in promoting and very often reselling tours and accommodations related to the specific area where they operate from. They offer an advanced knowledge of a destination.

DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION (DMO)

Non-for-profit association or governmental organization designed to promote a destination.

E

E-MAIL

A way to communicate over the web with clients and customers. An abbreviated term for electronic-mail.

ENCRYPTED PAYMENTS

The payment ecosystem is a prime target for cyber criminals. Encrypted payments are a form of payment security solution to help protect online transaction processing. With Rezdy, all transactions are secured by encryption. SSL technology encodes information as it is being sent over by the Internet, helping to ensure that the information transmitted remains confidential.

EVENT ORGANIZER

A person who is trained and qualified to organize a particular event for a community, company or hotel property. For instance, an even organizer may create a luau for a Hawaiian hotel.

EXPERIENCE ECONOMY

An emerging trend in which today travelers are preferring to connect with particular destinations by immersing themselves in the cultures, traditions and history of local people.

EXPERIENCE MARKETING

A type of promotional campaign that requires you to appeal to the traveler’s sense and showcase what they will experience when they visit your destination.

F

FACEBOOK

The most popular social networking sites that allows users to create a profile, post status updates, photos and videos and connect with their friends and businesses.

FAMIL

Short for ‘familiarization’, a famil is a planned visit offering invited members of the media and trade industries an opportunity to experience the tourism products, attractions, and experiences a destination markets. The success of this relies on support from the State’s tourism operators.

FARE AGGREGATOR

This is a tool that allows a person to see what the different prices are for one particular service from many different companies at the same time. The most popular fare aggregators highlight flight, hotel and car prices.

F.O.M.O

Fear Of Missing Out.

FREE INDEPENDENT TRAVELER (FIT)

A person or a couple that is not traveling with a group.

FULFILMENT

The customer has completed the activity or participated in the tour, the service has been provided.

G

GENERATION X

Generation X, or Gen X, is the demographic cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the Millennials. There are no precise dates for when Generation X starts or ends. Demographers and researchers typically use birth years ranging from the early-to-mid 1960s to the early 1980s.

GENERATION Y(synonymous to MILLENNIALS)

Millennials (also known as Generation Y) are the generational demographic cohort following Generation X. There are no precise dates for when this cohort starts or ends; demographers and researchers typically use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s as ending birth years.

GENERATION Z

Generation Z (also known as Gen Z, iGeneration, Post-Millennials, or Homeland Generation) is the demographic cohort after Millennials. Currently, there are numerous additional competing names used in connection with them in the media. There are no precise dates for when this cohort starts or ends, but demographers and researchers typically use the mid-1990s to mid-2000s as starting birth years.

GOOGLE ADWORDS

Google Adwords is a pay-per-click advertising platform. This is sometimes referred to as PPC campaigns where these online marketing campaigns are designed to drive visitors to your website through the use of targeted keywords.

GOOGLE ANALYTICS

Google Analytics is a tool that is used to help understand the functionality of your website and to make improvements in the future. This tool is designed to track the visitors that you receive, identify where those visitors came from and monitor what they are doing on your site.

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

A global distribution system is a computer reservation system that allows a travel company to manage its reservations while at the same time communicate with its customers. GDS are used by travel agent to access flight, accommodations, care rental, tours and activities.

H

HASHTAGS

Hashtags are topic headings you use online to index a post that you have made, generally on social media platforms. For example, #Rezdy or #ToursAndActivities. That way, when someone searches for a particular hashtag or a topic, all posts indexed with that topic will appear.

HOTEL

A popular accommodation choice made by travelers across the globe. Hotels typically offer one-room accommodations but many also have upgrades to suites available. They are often larger places to stay that offer more amenities such as pools, gyms and restaurants.

HOSTEL

Known as an inexpensive place to stay while traveling abroad, hostels are often geared toward the young crowd. Many people bunk with other people that they do not know in order to keep the costs down.

HOSTING

A hosting provider provides a place on the web for a business to place their website.

I

INBOUND TOUR OPERATOR (ITO)

An inbound tour operator is specialized in providing tours to overseas travelers visiting a destination, sometimes by operating the tour themselves, or through established partnerships with local suppliers.

INDUSTRY EVENT ORGANISER

This is a professional or an organization in the tourism industry who is experienced in creating events for travel companies, hotels, restaurants and other hospitality companies.

INSTAGRAM

A social networking site that allows users to post vintage-looking photographs to explain where they are at, what they are eating and what they like at any given time.

INTEGRATION

The process of bringing together different computing systems and software applications physically or functionally to act as a coordinated whole.

INVOICE

An invoice, bill or tab is a document issued by an agent to a tour operator, relating to a sale transaction and indicating the tours, quantities, and agreed prices for tours or activities the agent had provided the tour operator.

IOS

An operating system used for mobile devices manufactured by Apple, Inc.

J

JET SKI

An activity that many waterfront travel companies offer their visitors. People can ride on Jet Ski mobiles, allowing them to cruise quickly and efficiently across the water. People enjoy jet skiing on large lakes and oceans.

JOINT FARE

This is a fee that is charged to a traveler who will be taking a flight that utilizes more than one airline. For instance, if a traveler is taking a flight that has a connector, the second flight may be with a different airline. The joint fare is the cost for the entire flight.

K

KAYAKA popular travel activity that is offered at many destinations that are located near the water. Kayaking businesses can benefit from online booking systems so that future visitors can reserve their kayak excursions before they even arrive. Kayak is also an online travel agency specialised in airfares.

KEYCARDTypically travelers will have a keycard device in order to get into the room they are renting at a specific hotel or bed and breakfast. The keycard is often electronic, allowing them to swipe it like a credit card in order to gain access to the room. Travelers are advised to keep their keycards in a safe and secure location while they enjoy the local activities.

L

LANAI

A lanai is a balcony, porch or patio in Hawaii and other tropical destinations. It is often described as a luxury amenity at the hotels and resorts that have them, as many people want a private lanai to enjoy the beautiful views.

LANGUAGE

The different words and phrases that a person speaks depending on the part of the world that they are from. The best online reservation software offers different language options.

LEISURE TRAVEL

Travel that is done for pleasure rather than for business. Most people who are taking leisure travel tips will want to book several different tours and excursions during their trip in order to enjoy the sights, sounds and flavor of the area they are traveling to.

LIMO

A large, typically expensive, car that people use to get to and from a particular destination. Many people rent limousines to take them to the airport or night clubs, and others rent limos to get to their excursions in a particular travel destination. It is an exciting and relaxing way to travel.

LOCATIONS

Destinations that people choose for their vacations. Many people want waterfront locations, downtown locations and family-friendly locations for their travel experiences.

LOW SEASON (synonymous to OFF-PEAK)

A less popular time to visit a particular destination, often in the bad-weather months. Rates are often cheaper during the low season.

LUXURY TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

Luxury travel experiences comprise of exclusive and elite opportunities that go beyond the standard experience that is expected on a tour or activity. For example, a luxury city tour may take place in a private car or limousine with a personal guide and a bottle of champagne.

M

MANIFEST

For any tour operator, a manifest is one of the most important documents holding information about every person who has booked on a particular tour and provides insight into the popularity of the tour, the timing of the tour and overall schedule for the day. With Rezdy, the online booking system can help you manage your manifest and automate these tasks, hassle-free.

MARKUP

The process by which a rack rate is increased in order to accommodate for an increased interest in an activity or accommodation during a certain period of time when demand is typically higher. For instance, many hotels and airlines increase their prices during peak travel times such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and more.

MERCHANT ACCOUNT

To accept online payment, you need to ask your bank for a merchant account.

METRICS

A way of measuring a certain amount of activity on a specific online platform. For instance, a tour guide operator might be interested in how visitors they receive per month on their company website, or how many times per day people interact with them on Twitter.

N

NATURAL ATTRACTION

A tourist attraction in a particular area that is a natural phenomenon. Popular natural attractions include oceans, beaches, lakes, mountains, hiking trails and waterfalls. Many tour companies work to arrange specialized excursions to natural attractions in an area.

NATURE CRUISE

A tourist activity that takes visitors by boat to view natural sights, such as waterfalls, lakes, sunsets, rivers and jungle areas.

NET RATE

The minimum amount that tour suppliers can sell a tourism product for and still make a profit.

O

ONLINE BOOKING SYSTEM

A reservation software that allows clients to book online directly with your company.

ONLINE TRAVEL AGENCY (OTA)

An online travel agency can be utilized by a traveler in order to book everything they need for their trip in one place. This can include making hotel reservations, flight reservations and in-destination reservations like tours, attractions, activities.

ONLINE RESERVATION SYSTEM

A system that allows a customer to make a reservation online and receive an immediate confirmation.

OVERBOOKING

Your tours are overbooked when you have more participants that you can really accept. Over bookings have be used by airlines for decades as it is well known that a small percentage of travelers will miss their plane. In the tours and activities industry, overbookings generally mean a lot of work to cancel, reschedule and refund frustrated customers. A clear cancellation policy is preferable to overbookings.

P

PASSENGER MANIFEST

A list of customers that are participating to your tour. ideally printable and mobile friendly.

PASSENGER WEIGHT

A helicopter or a plane might not be able to carry it is full seat capacity due to weight limitations or fuel requirements. In some countries or industry, it is a legal requirement to ask the exact weight of your passengers (sorry ladies) and to have it onboard in your passenger manifest. Specialized reservation system integrates this constraint to avoid overbookings.

PAYMENT GATEWAY

A software used to charge customers credit card and send money directly to your bank account.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

The options that a business makes available to its customers in order for them to make a payment.

PAYPAL

PayPal offers an online merchant service, so you can accept credit and bank transfer payment online. Rezdy works with PayPal so that you can accept payments for your online bookings.

PINTEREST

A social networking system that allows a user to bookmark sites of interest on the web and showcase it to their friends with a visually-appealing image.

PLUG-IN

A plug-in is a software component that adds a specific feature to an existing computer program. When a program supports plug-ins, it enables customization. With Rezdy, you can integrate a bunch of plug-ins into your website to boost your online marketing efforts, for example, a ‘Book Now’ button.

POINT-OF-SALE (POS) SYSTEM

This is a system where a computer replaces a cash register. It records transactions, accepts credit and debit card data, tracks inventory and records employee hours.

PROMO CODES

Promotional codes that a customer can input during the checkout process in order to receive a discount.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

This is a software that manages rental properties for a vacation company. For instance, a person who owns several beach houses available for rental can use this system to manage rooms availability.

PRIVATE RATE

An exclusive rate available to all agents.

PREFERRED RATE

An exclusive rate available to agents, tour operators have a preferred relationship with.

Q

QR CODE

QR code is the trademark for a type of matrix barcode. A barcode is a machine-readable optical label that contains information about the item to which it is attached.

QUOTE

The price approximation that a business might provide to a future traveler so they can budget for the services they want when they reach their destination. Many inbound tour companies will provide price quotes to large groups who might want to travel to their area.

R

REAL-TIME BOOKING

An option for travelers to book their trips in real-time. It is particularly useful on the business end because it allows a manager or operator to choose when and where they want to offer reservations.

REPEAT TRANSACTIONS

A repeat payment allows you to process another transaction using the details of a customer that are already on your account. The repeat allows you to use the details that were captured for the original transaction and process them again for another amount, or transaction.

RESELLER

Someone who markets and resells tours and activities in exchange for commission fee, also known as agent.

An advanced feature of online bookings software specialized in tours and activities to help you manage your fleet of buses, boats, staff or other. When used smartly, it’s a powerful way to increase revenues, reduce manual administration, and avoid overbookings.

RESPONSIVE WEBSITE DESIGN

A responsive web design is an approach to web design which makes web pages render well on a variety of devices and windows or screens sizes, such as mobile devices.

RETAIL RATE

The amount the customer pays for a tourism product.

RETENTION

In terms of customer retention, this notion refers to the ability of a company or product to retain its customers over some specified period.

REVIEW WEBSITE

This is a website on the Internet where customers can post reviews of their experiences at particular travel-related businesses, for example, TripAdvisor. Positive reviews can have a big impact on business growth.

S

A marketing tactic which use paid services so that interested clients and customers can reach a business quicker and easier than ever before.

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)

Search engine optimization, otherwise known as SEO, is a tactic which incorporates highly-targeted keywords into website content to make it more visible in search engine results.

SECURE SOCKETS LAYER (SSL)

SSL is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral.

SHARING ECONOMY

As a direct result of the advent of social media, a new type of economy has been ushered in. Dubbed as the “Sharing Economy,” it has been made possible as a result of social sharing sites that encourage users to buy, sell, trade and offer insight into the goods and services that are available. For example, sharing sites like Uber and Airbnb.

SIGHTSEE

A place or monument that attract visitors and is generally a must-do in the area.

SMS

Otherwise known as ‘Short Message Service’, it is a text messaging service component of most telephone, Internet and mobile device systems.

SNAPCHAT

This is a messaging app pf choice for the young generation of mobile users. The allure of this service is that users can send short, visual snaps that disappear within a matter of moments. Consider sending promos about your tours that appeal to the Millennial travelers or videos that showcase your experiences over the platform.

SOCIAL MEDIA

The term used to describe the vast amounts of social networking sites available today. Social media is one of the main ways that people communicate.

SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE

Sometimes referred to as “on-demand software”, a SaaS is a software delivery model in which software and associated data are centrally hosted on the cloud. SaaS is typically accessed by users using a thin client via a web browser.

SPECIALIZED FRANCHISE

These are franchises specifically related to the tourism industry, that offer services and goods to travelers abroad.

SPECIALIZED TRAVEL AGENT

This is a travel agent who is specialized in one particular travel destination or type of activity. For instance, some travel agents know Australia very well while others are more fluent in European travel or SCUBA diving.

STRICT VEGETARIAN

Tours or Activities where consumption of meat is prohibited. Rezdy’s booking software allows you to add tour or activity specific information to your customer manifest.

STRIPE

Stripe is a software platform that is used to run an Internet business, particularly when dealing with online payments. Rezdy uses Stripe to facilitate their automated payment solution for agents. When an agent books a tour or activity, they earn commission. Before Rezdy, they had to chase this payment themselves. Rezdy uses Stripe to automate payment from supplier to the agent.

SUBSCRIPTION MODEL

A flat monthly fee charged by software companies. The subscription model has the advantage to be predictable and doesn’t limit your profitability. At Rezdy, we are strong believers that you should not pay commission for software. With a subscription-based pricing, the more bookings you get, the cheaper it is per booking, so you can grow your business faster.

T

Events, activities, and services provided in a particular tourist destination.

TOURISM ORGANISATION

An organization which helps travelers plan trips while at the same time promoting businesses in a particular area.

TOUR OPERATOR

A person or company who operates a tour for travelers who are visiting. The operator often points out local points of interest as well as answers questions to their customers. The term is broadly use in the industry and can include dive centers, surf schools, bike rental and all sort of activity providers.

TOUR WHOLESALER

Tour wholesalers never sell directly to consumers. Instead, they link individual tourism operators with retailers, supplying touring options that include travel, accommodation, and tours. They promote tour programs that they think will appeal to certain markets, targeting both consumers and retail travel agents in their advertising campaigns. Every wholesaler has a different price for tour operators to participate in their programs.

TRADE ASSOCIATION

An association which helps supports businesses within a particular trade. For example, a tourism trade association is designed to help all businesses in the tourism industry to improve, work together and make change for the better.

TRADE SHOW

A place where professionals from an industry meet to establish partnerships. Trade shows are slowly being replaced by more efficient and less expensive online specialized market place

TRADITIONAL TRAVEL AGENT

A travel agent who works out of a brick-and-mortar location, available in-person to assist people who want to plan a vacation.

TRAVEL GUIDE

A guide that offers insight to the various things to do in a particular location. They often highlight tours, hotels, restaurants, activities and other local areas that should be visited.

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHS

High resolution images of a particular area that can be displayed on a person’s website to showcase their business.

TRAVELOGUE

Blogger specialized in the travel industry.

TRIP ADVISOR

One of the most popular review sites on the web. It allows users to review their experiences on vacation with specific tourism-related businesses.

TWITTER

A social media site that allows users to send instant updates that are 140 characters long.

U

UNIONPAY

UnionPay is a payment gateway of choice for Chinese travelers. The Rezdy payment portal is one of the merchants that accepts UnionPay cards. For an affordable way to attract Chinese tourists, you can begin utilizing the Rezdy online booking solution.

UNRESTRICTED FARE

A fee that an airline will charge for a flight without any discounts associated with it. This is considered the base price of the flight and is used for comparison when discounts are applied to the final cost.

UNRESTRICTED RATE

This is the term that businesses in the tourism industry use to describe their base price. Essentially, the unrestricted rate is the fee for a service without any discounts associated with it. This is sometimes also referred to as the rack rate.

V

A way to provide information to a customer via video technology. Videos can be embedded into a post or website to truly give an idea of what goes on at a particular event or location.

VIRTUAL REALITY

Virtual Reality, or VR, is a computer-generated scenario that simulates a realistic experience. This immersive environment can be similar to the real world in order to create a life-like experience grounded in reality or sci-fi.

VISITORS INFORMATION CENTRE

A spot in most tourist destinations that provides information to visitors and answers their questions. You can typically find brochures as well as other service information here.

VOUCHER

A voucher is a bond of the redeemable transaction type which is of equivalent value of the advertised tour price.

W

WAITING LIST

A waiting list is an online or offline record that allows you to have a back-up plan for your tours in the event of last minute cancellations. This will allow you to use your available resources more efficiently.

WALKING TOUR

A specialized tour where a person walks along a street or path with a tour guide in order to get a feel for the area. The patron will not ride a bus or boat in order to enjoy their tour.

WEB AGENCY

A business specialized in designing and developing website.

WEB DEVELOPER

A person who creates software and website content for businesses.

WEBMASTER

A person whose profession is to design and develop websites.

WEBSITE

A location on the web where a business hosts its information. A website will display services provided, contact information and background information about the company as well as photos, videos and other multimedia elements.

WECHAT

WeChat — or Wei Xin as it is called in Chinese — is an app designed for both text and voice mobile messaging. Chinese users particularly enjoyed the fact that there was always a new feature available through WeChat, including QR codes and e-wallet capabilities.

WEIBO

Weibo, or formerly known as Sina Weibo, is a Chinese microblogging website. It is one of the most popular social media sites in China, in use by well over 30% of Internet users, with a market penetration similar to Twitter.

WEPAY

WePay is a payment option that can be a valuable option for small business owners who are targeting Chinese travelers.

X

XERO

Xero is a cloud-based business accounting software that is becoming increasingly popular for small businesses. Rezdy has been integrated with Xero.

X-RAY

X-Ray technology is often used for security purposes when people travel abroad. Typically, travelers have to walk through some type of X-Ray machine, and all baggage is scanned by X-Rays to ensure all travelers will safe, sound and comfortable while they are on the go.

Y

YOUTUBE™

YouTube™ is the worldwide largest video portal on the Internet. Many TV sets with networking capabilities offer direct access to YouTube™.

YIELD MANAGEMENT

Yield management is a complex science used by accommodation and airlines for decades. In short, it is increasing or decreasing the price based on demand. For example traveling end of December is more expensive. Tour operators can use different price for high or low season, or a higher price for Saturday and Sundays compared to less busy week days. Yield management is integrated in modern online reservation software and help increase revenues easily.

Z

ZAPIER

Zapier is an online software that connects your apps and automate workflows. Rezdy has been integrated with Zapier.

ZIP LINE

A popular travel activity that many tour activity operators offer in their particular destinations. The zip line typically goes over a natural area, such as a jungle, allowing people to experience the sight in a totally different way. Many people prefer to book their zip line excursions prior to arriving at their destination, so online booking software is helpful for businesses who offer this activity.

ZORBING

Zorbing is the recreation or sport of rolling downhill inside an orb, generally made of transparent plastic. Zorbing is generally performed on a gentle slope, but can also be done on a level surface, permitting more rider control.